More than one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meanwhile, 20 percent of the children and adolescents worldwide have a mental health condition, the World Health Organization estimates, with suicide being the fourth leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the mental health crisis for pediatric and primary care patients alike and took a toll on health care professionals.
Despite a broader cultural awareness of these issues, too often mental health and anxiety disorders are under-identified and inadequately treated, affecting patients’ overall health outcomes. For example, a patient with untreated depression or anxiety may be less likely to take medications for other chronic health conditions, which could lead to complications. Mental health services aren’t exclusively the realm of counselors, psychiatrists and clinical psychologists, but how can behavioral health care be better integrated into primary care practice? What are the current guidelines for screening youth for depression and anxiety? What constitutes a more equitable mental health crisis response?
These questions and other topics are addressed in this Mental Health and Anxiety Disorders CME course, featuring modules from trusted education providers such as the AMA Journal of Ethics™, AMA STEPS Forward™, the JAMA Network™, Stanford Medicine, The Fenway Institute, and more.
Start today and deepen your knowledge of mental health and anxiety disorders—from caring for patients and advancing equity to maintaining your own mental well-being and seeking out peer support. Topics include:
- Mental and Behavioral Health Fundamentals and Screening — Get an overview of integrating behavioral health into patient care, including screening for anxiety, practicing mindfulness and more.
- Mental Health of the Health Care Team — Develop strategies to support your own well-being and that of your colleagues.
- Understanding the Pediatric Mental Health Crisis — Examine the impact of adverse childhood experiences, eating disorders, lack of sleep and other factors on youth mental health.
- Overcoming the Mental Health Epidemic of COVID-19 — Dive deeper into how the coronavirus pandemic profoundly affected mental health and well-being.
- Addressing Mental Health Equity — Deepen your understanding of such topics as trauma-informed care and antiracist mental health crisis responses.
Who is This CME For?
This self-paced CME course is designed for physicians, health care professionals, medical students, residents in training and anyone who would benefit from learning about the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions and anxiety disorders and how to address various mental health crises.
For more than 170 years, the AMA has played a key role in the development of best practices to tackle emerging health care challenges in the United States. This online course features the latest information from a variety of trusted sources and journals. Accessible on any device and at any time, it includes education in a variety of formats, so that you can listen, watch, read or interact in ways that best suit your needs.
Interested in accreditation details? Find accreditation information for each activity of the Mental Health and Anxiety Disorders course at the bottom of the corresponding quiz pages. CME requirements vary by state—visit our CME by State section to learn more about specific requirements.